I'll admit, I have a soft spot for PS Audio -- I own enough of their gear and have found it mostly excellent over the years (a couple of items were not as great but their digital front end and power amps are my references). Given their consistently excellent customer service, I was not too surprised to hear they are now going entirely direct-to-consumer, by-passing dealerships and using the web as their storefront. The official notice is below. What this means for the industry and the general admonition to support your dealer and 'hear for yourself' (yeah, I know, the usual defense of the old guard in the press but a near-impossibility for most consumers) is anyone's guess. All I can say is that I really have had only excellent customer (as in, I bought it, not review gear 'loaned' to me) service with PS Audio and I hope this means that others will too. Now, if only the price of that Directstream DAC would come down....
CEO Paul McGowan today released the following statement:
"PS Audio has a long history of shaking things up in the audio industry, and we’re excited to be doing it again. During our 45-year history, we’ve always sold direct to end-users in the US, and we’ve also had a significant presence in dealer showrooms across America.
"Over the past several years, our call-volume to (800) PSAUDIO and factory-direct sales have increased tremendously. We take commitments to our customers very seriously, and we’ve taken many steps to ensure that our customers are happy: that they get the right products, that those products are performing perfectly, and that the experience of working with us is pleasant, and satisfying.
"Customer satisfaction is our highest priority. As we continue our efforts to enhance the customer experience, we are moving towards all US sales being direct from the factory in Boulder.
"We will soon be bringing in new features and options so we can take even better care of our customers, whom we really do consider as part of our Hi-Fi Family. Our extensive network of international distributors will not be affected by any changes.
"Buying factory direct has these benefits:
- Sales always come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. There are no hidden fees or restocking charges.
- We now offer same day shipping for our US customers, so no need to wait.
- We buy back any brand of our customers’ audio gear at its full and original retail price. Details can be found here.
- Two-way shipping within the US is always free. If the unit is returned, we pay for that shipping as well.
- Expert advice is always available from our Hi-Fi Specialists as well as the engineers and designers of the products themselves.
"During the next year, we’ll be introducing a number of new products, including our first speakers, and a new integrated amplifier. We look forward to welcoming a new generation to our Hi-Fi Family as we continue to grow!"
- In the unlikely event a problem arises with a product under warranty, we will pay for shipping to the factory, fix the problem, and return the unit within 48 hours of receiving the product. We will pay return shipping, as well.
We hope to see you at RMAF, and will soon send full details of our exhibit room at the show.
I always wonder about buying from a manufacturer with a '30 day' trial... am I buying used gear for list price? Also, usually when buying factory direct you get a better price. Here you get a worse price - a DRAMATICALLY WORSE PRICE. The generous dealer discounts are a thing of the past and everything sells at list price, which is not being adjusted for the fact that there is now no dealer profit. In six months PS will be re-thinking this.
ReplyDeleteI always wonder about buying from a manufacturer with a '30 day' trial... am I buying used gear for list price? Also, usually when buying factory direct you get a better price. Here you get a worse price - a DRAMATICALLY WORSE PRICE. The generous dealer discounts are a thing of the past and everything sells at list price, which is not being adjusted for the fact that there is now no dealer profit. In six months PS will be re-thinking this.
ReplyDeleteWell I guess we'll see where it goes. PS Audio have always done direct and supported dealers, so it's difficult to imagine they will change pricing in a significant way. There's also been a strange fluidity to their pricing with sales common and a dynamic pricing aspect reflecting stock and production. That said, I do find Paul and co to be completely above board on their customer relations and willing to go the extra mile to make folks happy. For me, that's worth a lot. Anyway, interesting times and I wish them well.
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